AS the Scheme for augmenting the Army on the Establish­ment of Ireland with three Thou­sand two Hundred and thirty-five Men, excites a good deal of Curio­sity at present, it may not be un­acceptable to the Public, to know what are the Sentiments of a sincere Well-wisher to his Country, unin­fluenced by Passion, Prejudice, or private Interest, upon this very im­portant Subject.

[Page 4]THE Objections which have been yet urged against this Measure, even with any Degree of Plausibility, may be fairly reduced within a very narrow Compass.

THE extraordinary Expence to be incurr'd the first Year, of near seventy Thousand Pounds, and the annual Expence afterwards, of a­bout thirty-five Thousand, for the Support of this increased Establish­ment. The Probability that twelve thousand Men will not remain in Ireland for the Defence of the Country: And the Inexpediency of increasing our military Force in a Time of Peace, and apparent Security.

IT were to be wished, that this, and every other Scheme of public [Page 5] Utility, could be carried into Exe­cution, without laying the smallest Burthen upon the People: But as this in the Beginning, has seldom been found practicable in any Age, or Country; let us examine the Weight of the first Objection, upon the fair Footing of a Comparison between the slight Inconvenience of raising the Sums requisite for this Purpose, and the great Advantages derived to this Kingdom from so prudent and necessary an Applica­tion of them. A slight Inconvenience it may well be called, for by the equitable Tax of four Shillings in the Pound imposed upon Absentees this Session of Parliament, and by the contingent Produce of the al­tered Duty upon Teas, a new Fund will be added to the Revenue nearly equal (according to the best Calcu­lations) [Page 6] to the whole annual Charge of the proposed Augmentation: And this too without any Oppression to the landed or mercantile Interest of the Country.

IT appears then, that for a mo­derate Sum, not exceeding what may, perhaps, be spent in vicious Hospi­tality, at two or three contested County Elections, a respectable Body of Forces may be maintained in this Country, to protect us from Insur­rections at Home, and against Inva­sions from Abroad; the Reliefs which Ireland is to furnish to Garrisons, and Settlements, will be compleat. and regular; and our Army no longer subject to that pernicious, (though hitherto unavoidable) Practice of Draughting, which like a slow Dis­temper, has consumed the Vigor of our stoutest Corps.

[Page 7]BUT it will be said, what Pledge is given us, that twelve Thousand Men will continue in Ireland, to de­fend the Country that supports them? Superadded to the Faith of the Royal Declaration, to this Ef­fect, we have the Security of an Act of the British Legislature, which, while it enables his Majesty to aug­ment his Army, specifies at the same Time, the Place and Purpose of their Service: And in the Ballance of Candor and Justice, such Assu­rances will certainly preponderate a­gainst the vague Conjectures of un­inform'd Writers, or the jealous As­sertions of a peevish and turbulent Incendiary. It requires no very com­prehensive Memory to register En­gagements from the Throne, which have been entered into since his pre­sent [Page 8] Majesty's Accession, and till some Violation of them is charged and proved, we may, I think safely rely upon the Honour of our Sove­reign, that he will give no Reason to mistrust his want of a Principle, which among the lowest Orders of his Subjects, is scarcely dignified with the Name of a Virtue, but is rather considered as an indispensable Rule of Morality, which Men must not depart from, while they expect to live with ordinary Credit in So­ciety, and to reap the Benefits, which, Truth, the great Bond of it, intitles them to.

IN Time of Peace, to be pre­pared for War, is a Maxim of sound Policy in every Country: To none can it be more applicable than to [Page 9] ours, no where should it be more frequently inculcated, and no where does it seem less understood.

The Fertility of our Island invites, and its Accessability exposes us to Invasion. We must still consider the two great Monarchies of the Con­tinent as inseparably united by Com­pact, by joint Interest, and join Am­bition. France, which has long in­fluenced the Councils, and so lately guided the Arms of Spain, is averse to Great Britain, from Commercial Emulation, from the recent Dis­honour of her Arms, and from long Habits of Hostility. The compli­cated Interests of the British Colo­nies, her numerous Dependancies, and enterprising Spirit, may easily furnish a Pretence to these two [Page 10] Powers for a Rupture with her, when they are again in a Condi­tion to bustle for Dominion, and the next War may probably begin, where the last pretty nearly conclu­ded, with another Attempt to invade us. Expelled, as France is, from the Continent of North America, her Efforts will be exerted slowly, if ever, to regain a Footing in that Quarter. Her Fleets can't cope with those of England in the West-Indies, and the Leeward Islands; the Settlements in Asia are too re­mote and well established: And the Garrisons of Minorca and Gibralter, are now rendered almost impregna­ble.—What Object then remains so inviting? What enterprize so practi­cable as a Descent upon Ireland? Abounding with Harbours, Bays and [Page 11] landing Places; unfurnished with Forts and Soldiers: Where too, the unhappy Prevalence of the Religion of our Enemies, which keeps much the greatest Number of our Coun­trymen in a discontented and fearful Subjection to the Government they live under, renders their Loyalty suspicious; and in this Respect, Po­pulation, one great Means of Safe­ty in other States, suggests nothing to us, but the Idea of Danger. A little Attention to the internal Con­dition of this Kingdom, will be suf­ficient to convince every impartial Person, that this Description is not overloaded, and it would be well no Doubt, if such a State of Imbecility could not be aggravated.—The hasty Charts of Geographers who seldom visit the Countries the pre­tend [Page 12] to delineate, but deliver to the World Errors taken upon the Credit of those who went before them: The Intelligence of Merchants, or more inaccurate Descriptions of such as travel from Curiosity, or for Amusement, are the Means by which Countries are generally known to each other, and many hostile Pro­jects have been formed, upon such fallible Authorities, and many have miscarried because they were so form­ed.—In respect to Ireland, an Ene­my has peculiar Advantages. Men born and educated in every Province, in every Town, in every Corner and Spot of this Island, are to be found in the Dominions and under the Al­legiance of France and Spain. They have our Natives to fill their Levies, and our Mariners to Pilot their Ves­sels. [Page 13] The very Indigence of these Fugitives renders them formidable, as it drives them to embrace a Pro­fession in these martial Governments, which furnishes an immediate Sub­sistence; and finding it impossible to be any Thing at home, they be­come Soldiers from Necessity abroad. Let us not despise their rude Educa­tion and uncultivated Talents, they have Science enough to be useful to our Enemies, and dangerous to us. Ireland they still consider as their natural Inheritance, and the Claim of original Possession is transmitted amongst them from Generation to Generation. To revisit the Land of their Fore-fathers, and to enjoy again the Property they have forfeit­ed, is the favourite Topic of their Discourses, and the Object ever pre­sent [Page 14] to their Hopes. Bold and rea­dy for Battle upon any Pretence, and in every Quarrel, they are ani­mated with no common Ardor when this Enterprize is started. Innova­tors and Robbers are the Characters we are described under; and, as such, should the fatal Opportunity happen, we must expect to be treat­ed. It is a fact too notorious to be contested, and too recent to be for­gotten, how we were once preserved from the worst of all Calamities which hung over us; and had not the superintending Vigilance of our Mother Country interposed at that Juncture, we might now perhaps in Poverty, in Banishment, or in Pri­sons deplore the Consequences of an Event, which, whether we may be again exposed to it, or not, we at [Page 15] present only discuss the Probability of.

To those who are candid enough to acknowledge what indeed can scarcely be contested, that the Con­quest of Ireland, at least the De­vastation of it, will be a likely Ob­ject of our Enemies Policy; but who argue that even a greater Number than our proposed Es­tablishment would be insufficient to defend it; the Answer is obvious. Twelve Thousand Men are a better Defence than a third Part of the Number, and three times as much may reasonably be expected from them. Open the above Argument a little more, place it in a fairer Light, and then examine what is the Force of it. Our Island is ex­tensive, [Page 16] and exposed every where; then how is it possible for a handful of Soldiers, though never so brave, alert, and well disciplined, to be present at the same Instant in many Places? The Attack may be made at once in different Quarters, and while we March to sustain one Post, we leave another open to the Inva­dor? Besides, a watchful Eye must be kept upon the People who sur­round us, lest their Rising should be as fatal as the landing of an Ene­my.

Under such Circumstances it must be admitted, that an Army would have much to do, and all Lovers of their Country much more to fear. At such a Crisis, the thrif­tiest Stewards of the public Purse, [Page 17] the most watchful Dragons of the Exchequer, might probably wish in vain to make one common Mass of public and private Property; and to exchange it all for what is still more precious, security of Life, and Li­berty to enjoy it. Yet from twelve thousand brave Soldiers, every Thing may be expected but Impossibilities: nor can it be strictly said, that we need defend equally the whole of our extensive Coasts, since 'tis pro­bable the Northern Parts of them will not be attempted. The Reli­gion of the Inhabitants, their Wealth and Numbers, are well known to the two Maritime Powers from whence we have any Thing to apprehend: nor should it be suppo­sed they will endeavour to make an [Page 18] Impression in the Quarter, where they must expect to meet the most vigorous Resistance. The landing of Flobert and Thurot near Carrick­fergus, in the Year 1760, was the Effect of Accident and not Design. The Destination of that little Squa­dron ('tis well known) was for the South, though by Distress, and con­trary Winds, they were reduced to the Necessity of Anchoring in the North; where it was not at first in­tended. 'Tis then reasonable to conclude, that the Southern, and South-West Parts, are to be princi­pally attended to; as the same Rea­sons which endangered them before, exist in full Force at this Instant. Here then we must be prepared to expect an Enemy, and 'tis something at least in our Favour, to know [Page 19] where Preparation is necessary. Let it be considered besides, that no Armament can Approach the Coast, without giving Notice of it by their Appearance: And that Disembarka­tions are more subject to Delay, Confusion and Accident, than any other Military Operations.

The Strength and Spirit of the Soldiery, upon such Services, is en­feebled by the unwholesome Con­finement in the Vessels that trans­port them, and by the Effects of an Element to which they are not ac­customed. If they meet with no Opposition, but can Disembark, Form and March forwards with as little Resistance, and in as good Order, as if they came to relieve a Garrison, or to take quiet Possessi­on [Page 20] of an undisputed Territory, the Case is very different; if so indeed, I know not what we have to resort to, except Supplications, and their Mercy; but in my poor Opinion, the Appearance of a single Regi­ment or Company of our own Sol­diers, would be a much safer, and more honourable Resource in such a Calamity. Peasants, Children and Women have hurled stones, and brandished Clubs, have done some­thing, in such Causes; and shall we now be told, that twelve thousand brave Soldiers, such as by their excellent Discipline and unexampled Courage, have raised the Reputati­on of these Nations above all others this Day in Europe: Shall we be told, I say, that they can do no­thing? And will it still be urged [Page 21] that except their Numbers are en­creased beyond what 'tis possible to encrease them, they are a Burthen and not a Bulwark.

Much illiberal Industry 'tis true has been of late exerted to raise un­favourable Impressions of the Soldi­ery in the Minds of their Country­men, and impotent Malice has ex­hausted all her pitiful Expedients, to sow the Seeds of Division and Jealousy, between the Civil and Military Powers. Invidious Insinu­ations, invented Anecdotes, ridicu­lous Calculations, false Facts, false Arguments, and bold Calumnies have been obtruded upon the Pub­lic, for Reasons to Prejudice their Sense of a Measure, which is short­ly [Page 22] to be decided by their Represen­tatives in Parliament. There no doubt, the Merit of this Question will be determined properly upon the Information which is before them: They will not prefer an in­considerable Saving to a great Se­curity, nor suspect a lurking Mis­chief under a fair Proposition, be­cause they have not themselves sug­gested it. As the Crown advances in Condescension, they will not recede in Confidence, nor while the Neces­sity of an additional Defence to their Country, is on all Sides admitted; postpone an expeditious and practi­cable Mode of defending it, to one which is visionary, or at best precari­ous. In examining the Scheme be­fore them, they will consider all the [Page 23] Relations of their Country, and re­spect the Means proposed; as they regard one great End, its Security and Preservation.